“Mortify your members
which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil
desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things’
sake, cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience; in the
which ye also walked aforetime, when ye lived in these
things.”

I know
that many are offended by the foregoing discourse, but what can I do?
ye heard what the Master enjoined. Am I to blame? what shall I do? See
ye not the creditors, when debtors are obstinate, how they wear832832 [This very natural inadvertence in free speaking is duly changed,
by the group of mss. which make so many
changes, into “how they put collars on them.” These wooden
collars were a disgrace, like the stocks.—J.A.B.] collars? Heard ye what Paul proclaimed
today? “Mortify,” he saith, “your members which are
upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and
covetousness, which is idolatry.” What is worse than such a
covetousness? This is worse than any desire. This is still more
grievous than what I was speaking of, the madness, and the silly
weakness about silver. “And covetousness,” he 294saith, “which is
idolatry.” See in what the evil ends. Do not, I pray, take what I
said amiss, for not by my own good-will, nor without reason, would I
have enemies; but I was wishful ye should attain to such virtue, as
that I might hear of you the things I ought.833833 Or perhaps, “I could wish…that I might hear
from you what is right.” Gr. παρ᾽ ὑμῶν. So that I said it not for
authority’s sake, nor of imperiousness,834834 ἀξιώματος, wish to maintain dignity.
but out of pain and of sorrow. Forgive me, forgive! I have no wish to
violate decency by discoursing upon such subjects, but I am compelled
to it.

Not for the sake of the sorrows
of the poor do I say these things, but for your salvation; for they
will perish, will perish, that have not fed Christ. For what, if thou
dost feed some poor man? still so long as thou livest so voluptuously
and luxuriously, all is to no purpose. For what is required is, not the
giving much, but not too little for the property thou hast; for this is
but playing at it.

“Mortify therefore your
members,” he saith, “which are upon the earth.” What
sayest thou? Was it not thou that saidst, “Ye are buried; ye are
buried together with Him; ye are circumcised: we have put off the body
of the sins of the flesh” (c. ii. 11, 12; Rom. vi. 4.); how then again
sayest thou, “Mortify”?835835 i.e. put to death. Art thou
sporting? Dost thou thus discourse, as though those things were in us?
There is no contradiction; but like as if one, who has clean scoured a
statue that was filthy, or rather who has recast it, and displayed it
bright afresh,836836 [The word is ἄνωθεν, as
in John iii. 3, 7, and here necessarily
means anew or afresh,—a sense so rare as to justify calling
attention to it.—J.A.B.] should say that the rust was
eaten off and destroyed, and yet should again recommend diligence in
clearing away the rust, he doth not contradict himself, for it is not
that rust which he scoured off that he recommends should be cleared
away, but that which grew afterwards; so it is not that former putting
to death he speaks of, nor those fornications, but those which do
afterwards grow.

He said that this is not our
life, but another, that which is in heaven. Tell me now. When he said,
Mortify your members that are upon the earth, is then the earth also
accused? or does he speak of the things upon the earth as themselves
sins?837837 [This is a passing allusion to the Manichæans, who held that
matter is necessarily the seat of evil, and might try to interpret the
apostle as here accusing the earth of being evil. The passage has been
expanded in the often above mentioned group of documents, and so in the
editions before Field, so as to be fuller and more perspicuous, thus:
“But lo! say the heretics, Paul accuseth the creation; for he
said before, ‘Set your mind on the things that are above, not on
the things that are upon the earth;’ again he saith,
‘Mortify your members which are upon the earth.’ But the
words ‘ upon earth’ are here expressive of sin, not an
accusing of creation. For it is thus he calls sins themselves, things
upon earth, either from their being wrought by earthly thoughts and
upon earth, or from their showing sinners to be
earthly.”—J.A.B.]

“Fornication,
uncleanness,” he saith. He has passed over the actions which it
is not becoming even to mention, and by “uncleanness” has
expressed all together.

“Passion,” he said,
“evil desire.”

Lo! he has expressed the whole
in the class. For envy, anger, sorrow, all are “evil
desire.”

“And covetousness,”
he saith, “which is idolatry. For which things’ sake cometh
the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.”

By many things he had been
withdrawing them; by the benefits which are already given, by the evils
to come from which we had been delivered, being who, and wherefore; and
all those considerations, as, for instance, who we were, and in what
circumstances, and that we were delivered therefrom, how, and in what
manner, and on what terms. These were enough to turn one away, but this
one is of greater force than all; unpleasant indeed to speak of, not
however to disservice, but even serviceable. “For which
things’ sake cometh,” he saith, “the wrath of God
upon the sons of disobedience.” He said not, “upon
you,” but, “upon the sons of
disobedience.”

“In the which ye also
walked aforetime, when ye lived in them.” In order to shame them,
he saith, “when ye lived in them,” and implying praise, as
now no more so living: at that time they might.

Ver. 9,
10.
“Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, and
have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto knowledge after
the image of Him that created him.”

It is worth enquiring here, what
can be the reason why he calls the corrupt life, “members,”
and “man,” and “body,” and again the virtuous
life, the same. And if “the man” means “sins,”
how is it that he saith, “with his doings”? For once he
said, “the old man,” showing that this is not man, but the
other. The moral choice doth rather determine one than the substance,
and is rather “man” than the other. For his substance
casteth him not into hell, nor leadeth him into the kingdom, but men
themselves: and we neither love nor hate any one so far as he is man,
but so far as he is such or such a man. If then the substance be the
body, and in either sort cannot be accountable, how doth he say that it
is evil?838838 As the Manichees interpreted his words. But what is that he saith,
“with 295his doings”? He means the choice, with the acts. And he
calleth him “old,” on purpose to show his deformity, and
hideousness, and imbecility; and “new,” as if to say, Do
not expect that it will be with this one even as with the other, but
the reverse: for ever as he farther advances, he hasteneth not on to
old age, but to a youthfulness greater than the preceding. For when he
hath received a fuller knowledge, he is both counted worthy of greater
things, and is in more perfect maturity, in higher vigor; and this, not
from youthfulness alone, but from that “likeness” also,
“after” which he is. Lo! the best life is styled a
creation, after the image of Christ: for this is the meaning of,
“after the image of Him that created him,” for Christ too
came not finally to839839 οὐ πρὸς
γῆρας
ἐτελεύτησεν, Lat. “Nec senex mortuus est” (died not old).
But the other sense seems more suitable. In either sense it is opposed
to the view ascribed to Byzantine artists. See Rio’s Poésie
Chrétienne. old age, but
was so beautiful as it is not even possible to tell.

Ver.
11.
“Where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and
uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman: but Christ is
all, and in all.”

Lo! here is a third encomium of
this “man.” With him, there is no difference admitted
either of nation, or of rank, or of ancestry, seeing he hath nothing of
externals, nor needeth them; for all external things are such as these,
“circumcision, and uncircumcision, bondman, freeman,
Greek,” that is, proselyte, “and Jew,” from his
ancestors. If thou have only this “man,” thou wilt obtain
the same things with the others that have him.

“But Christ,” he
saith, “is all, and in all”: Christ will be all things to
you, both rank, and descent, “and” Himself “in you
all.” Or he says another thing, to wit, that ye all are become
one Christ, being His body.

He shows the easiness of virtue,
so that they might both possess it continually, and use it as the
greatest ornament. The exhortation is accompanied also with praise, for
then its force is greatest. For they had been before840840 ἐγένοντο, i.e. he had before called them holy, c. l. v. 2. holy, but not elect; but now both
“elect, and holy, and beloved.”

“A heart of
compassion.” He said not “mercy,” but with greater
emphasis used the two words. And he said not, that it should be as
towards brethren, but, as fathers towards children. For tell me not
that he sinned, therefore he said “a heart.” And he said
not “compassion,” lest he should place them841841 ἐκείνους, “the objects.” in light estimation, but “a heart
of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing
one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint
against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do
ye.”

Again, he speaks after the
class,842842 κατ᾽
εἶδος, from genus to
species, as remarked above, on v. 7. and he always does it; for from kindness
comes humbleness of mind, and from this, longsuffering.
“Forbearing,” he saith, “one another,” that is,
passing things over.843843 παραπεμπόμενοι, al. παραδέχόμενοι
“receiving one another.” And see, how he
has shown it to be nothing, by calling it a “complaint,”
and saying, “even as Christ forgave you.” Great is the
example! and thus he always does; he exhorts them after Christ.
“Complaint,” he calls it. In these words indeed he showed
it to be a petty matter; but when he has set before us the example, he
has persuaded us that even if we had serious charges to bring, we ought
to forgive. For the expression, “Even as Christ,” signifies
this, and not this only, but also with all the heart; and not this
alone, but that they ought even to love. For Christ being brought into
the midst, bringeth in all these things, both that even if the matters
be great, and even if we have not been the first to injure, even if we
be of great, they of small account, even if they are sure to insult us
afterwards, we ought to lay down our lives for them, (for the words,
“even as,” demand this;) and that not even at death only
ought one to stop, but if possible, to go on even after
death.

Ver.
14.
“And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of
perfectness.”

Dost thou see that he saith
this? For since it is possible for one who forgives, not to love; yea,
he saith, thou must love him too, and he points out a way whereby it
becomes possible to forgive. For it is possible for one to be kind, and
meek, and humbleminded, and longsuffering, and yet not affectionate.
And therefore, he said at the first, “A heart of
compassion,” both love and pity. “And above all these
things, love, which is the bond of perfectness.” Now what he
wishes to say is this; that there is no profit in those things, for all
those things fall asunder, except they be done with love; this it is
which clenches them all together; whatsoever good thing it be thou
mentionest, if love be away, it is nothing, it melts away. And it is as
in a ship, even though her rigging be large, yet if there be no girding
ropes, it is of no service; and in an house, if there be no tie beams,
it is the same; and in a body, though the bones be large, if there be
no ligaments, they are of no service. For whatsoever good deeds any may
have, all do vanish away, if love be not there. He said not that it is
the summit, but what is greater, “the bond”; this is more
necessary than the other. For “summit” indeed is an
intensity of perfectness, but “bond” is the holding
fast 296together of those things which produce the perfectness; it is, as
it were, the root.

Ver.
15.
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also
ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

“The peace of God.”
This is that which is fixed and steadfast. If on man’s account
indeed thou hast peace, it quickly comes to dissolution, but if on
God’s account, never. Although he had spoken of love universally,
yet again he comes to the particular. For there is a love too which is
immoderate; for instance, when out of much love one makes accusations
without reason, and is engaged in contentions, and contracts aversions.
Not this, saith he, not this do I desire; not overdoing things,844844 [Literally, “not superperfectly,” a singular
expression, omitted in all editions before Field, but found in all the
mss. he cites.—J.A.B.] but as God made peace with you, so do ye
also make it. How made He peace? Of His own will, not having received
anything of you. What is this? “Let the peace of God rule845845 [Literally, act as umpire, or as judge in the
games.—J.A.B.] in your hearts.” If two thoughts
are fighting together, set not anger, set not spitefulness to hold the
prize, but peace; for instance, suppose one to have been insulted
unjustly; of the insult are born two thoughts, the one bidding him to
revenge, the other to endure; and these wrestle with one another: if
the Peace of God stand forward as umpire, it bestows the prize on that
which bids endure, and puts the other to shame. How? by persuading him
that God is Peace, that He hath made peace with us. Not without reason
he shows the great struggle there is in the matter. Let not anger, he
saith, act as umpire, let not contentiousness, let not human peace, for
human peace cometh of avenging, of suffering no dreadful ill. But not
this do I intend, he saith, but that which He Himself left.

He hath represented an arena
within, in the thoughts, and a contest, and a wrestling, and an umpire.
Then again, exhortation, “to the which ye were called,” he
saith, that is, for the which ye were called. He has reminded them of
how many good things peace is the cause; on account of this He called
thee, for this He called thee, so as to receive a worthy846846 ἀξιόπιστον. Usually “worthy of credit,” but sometimes
rather in a secondary sense, “worthy of honor.” prize. For wherefore made He us
“one body”? Was it not that she might rule? Was it not that
we might have occasion of being at peace? Wherefore are we all one
body? and now are we one body? Because of peace we are one body, and
because we are one body, we are at peace. But why said he not,
“Let the peace of God be victorious,” but “be
umpire”? He made her the more honorable. He would not have the
evil thought to come to wrestle with her, but to stand below. And the
very name “prize” cheered the hearer. For if she have given
the prize to the good thought, however impudently the other behave, it
is thereafter of no use. And besides, the other being aware that,
perform what feats he might, he should not receive the prize; however
he might puff, and attempt still more vehement onsets, would desist as
laboring without profit. And he well added, “And be ye
thankful.” For this is to be thankful, and very effectively,847847 This must mean “in a way that has power of prevailing with
God,” so to speak, “putting Him to shame, if he do not
grant the favor.” Comp. Hebrew vi. 10. to deal with his fellow-servants as God
doth with himself, to submit himself to the Master, to obey; to express
his gratitude for all things,848848 [Compare Chrys.’s famous motto, “Glory to God for all
things”.—J.A.B.] even though
one insult him, or beat him.

For in truth he that confesses
thanks due to God for what he suffers, will not revenge himself on him
that has done him wrong, since he at least that takes revenge,
acknowledges no gratitude. But let not us follow him (that exacted)849849 Sav. [and one ms.] has ὀφείλοντα, “that owed,” which makes no sense; mss. Par. only τὸν τὰ
ἑκατὸν; Downes
conj. ἀπαιτοῦντα
τὰ. the hundred pence, lest we hear,
“Thou wicked servant,” for nothing is worse than this
ingratitude. So that they who revenge are ungrateful.

But why did he begin his list
with fornication? For having said, “Mortify your members which
are upon the earth” (c. iii.
5.),
he immediately says, “fornication”; and so he does almost
everywhere. Because this passion hath the greatest sway. For even when
writing his Epistle to the Thessalonians he did the same. (1 Thess. iv.
3.)
And what wonder? since to Timothy even he saith, “Keep thyself
pure” (1 Tim. v. 22.); and again elsewhere,
“Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification,”
without which “no man shall see the Lord.” (Heb. xii.
14.)
“Put to death,” he says, “your members.” Ye
know of what sort that is which is dead, namely, hated, loathed,
dropping to decay. If thou put anything to death, it doth not when dead
continue dead, but presently is corrupted, like the body. Extinguish
then the heat; and nothing that is dead will continue. He shows one
having the same thing in hand, which Christ wrought in the Laver;
therefore also he calleth them “members,” as though
introducing some champion, thus advancing his discourse to greater
emphasis. And he well said, “Which are upon the earth,” for
here they continue, and here they are corrupted, far rather than these
our members. So that not so truly is the body of the earth, as sin is
earthly, for the former indeed appears even beautiful at times, but
those members never. And those members lust after all things that
are 297upon
the earth. If the eye be such, it seeth not the things in the heavens;
if the ear, if the hand, if thou mention any other member whatsoever.
The eye seeth bodies, and beauties, and riches; these are the things of
earth, with these it is delighted: the ear with soft strains, and harp,
and pipe, and filthy talking; these are things which are concerned with
earth.

When therefore he has placed his
hearers above, near the throne, he then says, “Mortify your
members which are upon the earth.” For it is not possible to
stand above with these members; for there is nothing there for them to
work upon. And this clay is worse than that, for that clay indeed
becometh gold, “for this corruptible,” he saith,
“must put on incorruption” (1 Cor. xv. 53.), but this clay
can never be retempered more. So that these members are rather
“upon the earth” than those. Therefore he said not,
“of the earth,” but, “which are upon the
earth,” for it is possible that these should not be upon the
earth. For it is necessary that these850850 The
sinful passions. should be
“upon the earth,” but that those851851 The
bodily organs.
should, is not necessary. For when the ear hears nothing of what is
here uttered, but only in the heavens, when the eye sees nothing of
what is here, but only what is above, it is not “upon the
earth”; when the mouth speaketh nothing of the things here, it is
not “upon the earth”; when the hand doeth no evil
thing—these are not of things “upon the earth,” but
of those in the heavens.

So Christ also saith, “If
thy right eye causeth thee to stumble,” that is, if thou lookest
unchastely, “cut it out” (Matt. v. 29.), that is, thine
evil thought. And he (Paul) seems to me to speak of “fornication,
uncleanness, passion, desire” as the same, namely fornication: by
means of all these expressions drawing us away from that thing. For in
truth this is “a passion”; and like as the body is subject
to any affection, either to fever or to wounds, so also is it with
this. And he said not Restrain, but “Mortify” (put to
death), so that they never rise up more, and “put them
away.” That which is dead, we put away; for instance, if there be
callosities in the body, their body is dead, and we put it away. Now,
if thou cut into that which is quick, it produces pain, but if into
that which is dead, we are not even sensible of it. So, in truth, is it
with the passions; they make the soul unclean; they make the soul,
which is immortal, passible.

How covetousness is said to be
idolatry, we have oftentimes explained. For the things which do most of
all lord it over the human race, are these, covetousness, and
unchasteness, and evil desire. “For which things’ sake
cometh,” he saith, “the wrath of God upon the sons of
disobedience.” Sons of disobedience, he calls them, to deprive
them of excuse, and to show that it was because they would not be
obedient, that they were in that condition. “In the which ye
also,” he saith, “walked aforetime,” and (afterward)
became obedient. He points them out as still in them, and praises them,
saying, “But now do ye also put away all these, anger, wrath,
malice, railing, shameful speaking.” But against others he
advanceth his discourse. Under the head of “passion and
railing” he means revilings, just as under “wrath” he
means wickedness.852852 He
means that the word used expresses a natural emotion or act, but the
abuse of this is intended; and so it may be necessary to speak evil of
one. And in another
place, to shame them, he says, “for we are members one of
another.” (Eph. iv. 25.) He makes them out to
be as it were manufacturers of men; casting away this one, and
receiving that. He spoke of a man’s “members”
(v. 5.); here he saith,
“all.” He spoke of his heart, wrath, mouth, blasphemy,
eyes, fornication, covetousness, hands and feet, lying, the
understanding itself, and the old mind. One royal form it hath, that,
namely, of Christ. They whom he has in view, appear to me rather to be
of the Gentiles. For like as earth, being but sand, even though one
part be greater, another less, losing its own previous form, doth
afterwards become gold; and like as wool, of whatever kind it be,
receiveth another aspect, and hides its former one: so truly is it also
with the faithful. “Forbearing,” he saith, “one
another”; he showeth what is just. Thou forbearest him, and he
thee; and so he says in the Epistle to the Galatians, “Bear ye
one another’s burdens.” (Gal. vi. 2.) “And be
ye thankful,” he saith. For this is what he everywhere especially
seeks; the chiefest of good things.

Give we thanks then in all
things; whatever may have happened; for this is thankfulness. For to do
so in prosperity indeed, is no great thing, for the nature of the
circumstances of itself impels one thereto; but when being in
extremities we give thanks, then it is admirable. For when, in
circumstances under which others blaspheme, and exclaim discontentedly,
we give thanks, see how great philosophy is here. First, thou hast
rejoiced God; next, thou hast shamed the devil; thirdly, thou hast even
made that which hath happened to be nothing; for all at once, thou both
givest thanks, and God cuts short the pain, and the devil departs. For
if thou have exclaimed discontentedly, he, as having succeeded to his
wish, standeth close by thee, and God, as being blasphemed, leaveth
thee, and thy calamity is heightened; but if thou have given thanks,
he, as gaining nought, departs; and God, as being honored,
requites 298thee with greater honor. And it is not possible, that a man, who
giveth thanks for his evils should be sensible of them. For his soul
rejoiceth, as doing what is right; forthwith his conscience is bright,
it exults in its own commendation; and that soul which is bright,
cannot possibly be sad of countenance. But in the other case, along
with the misfortune, conscience also assails him with her lash; whilst
in this she crowns, and proclaims him.

Nothing is holier than that
tongue, which in evils giveth thanks to God; truly in no respect doth
it fall short of that of martyrs; both are alike crowned, both this,
and they. For over this one also stands the executioner to force it to
deny God, by blasphemy; the devil stands over it, torturing it with
executioner thoughts, darkening it with despondencies. If then one bear
his griefs, and give thanks, he hath gained a crown of martyrdom. For
instance, is her little child sick, and doth she give God thanks? this
is a crown to her. What torture so bad that despondency is not worse?
still it doth not force her to vent forth a bitter word. It dies: again
she hath given thanks. She hath become the daughter of Abraham. For if
she sacrificed not with her own hand, yet was she pleased with the
sacrifice, which is the same; she felt no indignation when the gift was
taken away.

Again, is her child sick? She
hath made no amulets.853853 περίαπτα. See on Stat. Hom. xix. p. 470 and note 4. Perhaps it
should be ἐπέδησε,
“she hath tied on.” It is counted to
her as martyrdom, for she sacrificed her son in her resolve. For what,
even though those things are unavailing, and a mere cheat and mockery,
still there were nevertheless those who persuaded her that they do
avail: and she chose rather to see her child dead, than to put up with
idolatry. As then she is a martyr, whether it be in her own case, or in
her son’s, that she hath thus acted; or in her husband’s,
or in any other’s of her dearest; so is that other one an
idolatress. For it is evident that she would have done sacrifice, had
it been allowed her to do sacrifice; yea, rather, she hath even now
performed the act of sacrifice. For these amulets, though they who make
money by them are forever rationalizing about them, and saying,
“we call upon God, and do nothing extraordinary,” and the
like; and “the old woman is a Christian,” says he,
“and one of the faithful”; the thing is idolatry. Art thou
one of the faithful? sign the Cross; say, this I have for my only
weapon; this for my remedy; and other I know none. Tell me, if a
physician should come to one, and, neglecting the remedies belonging to
his art, should use incantation, should we call that man a physician?
By no means: for we see not the medicines of the healing art; so
neither, in this case, do we see those of Christianity.

Other women again tie about
them854854 i.e. their children, περιάπτουσι. In what he says presently after, he must be referring to
the temporal ill effects of immorality. the names of rivers, and venture
numberless things of like nature. Lo, I say, and forewarn you all, that
if any be detected, I will not spare them again, whether they have made
amulet, or incantation, or any other thing of such an art as this. What
then, saith one, is the child to die? If he have lived through this
means, he did then die, but if he have died without this, he then
lived. But now, if thou seest him attaching himself to harlots, thou
wishest him buried, and sayest, “why, what good is it for him to
live?” but when thou seest him in peril of his salvation, dost
thou wish to see him live? Heardest thou not Christ saying, “He
that loseth his life, shall find it; and he that findeth it, shall lose
it”? (Matt. xvi. 25.) Believest thou these
sayings, or do they seem to thee fables? Tell me now, should one say,
“Take him away to an idol temple, and he will live”;
wouldest thou endure it? No! she replies. Why? “Because,”
she saith, “he urges me to commit idolatry; but here, there is no
idolatry, but simple incantation:” this is the device of Satan,
this is that wiliness of the devil to cloak over the deceit, and to
give the deleterious drug in honey. After he found that he could not
prevail with thee in the other way,855855 i.e.
of direct idolatry. he hath gone
this way about, to stitched charms, and old wives’ fables; and
the Cross indeed is dishonored, and these charms preferred before it.
Christ is cast out, and a drunken and silly old woman is brought in.
That mystery of ours is trodden under foot, and the imposture of the
devil dances.

Wherefore then, saith one, doth
not God reprove the aid from such sources? He hath many times reproved,
and yet hath not persuaded thee; He now leaveth thee to thine error,
for It saith, “God gave them up unto a reprobate mind.”
(Rom.
i. 28.) These things, moreover, not even a Greek who hath understanding
could endure. A certain demagogue in Athens is reported once to have
hung these things about him: when a philosopher who was his instructor,
on beholding them, rebuked him, expostulated, satirized, made sport of
him. For in so wretched a plight are we, as even to believe in these
things!

Why, saith one, are there not
now those who raise the dead, and perform cures? Yes, then, why, I say:
why are there not now those who have a contempt for this present life?
Do we serve God for hire? When man’s nature was weaker, when the
Faith had to be planted, there were even many such; but now he
would 299not
have us to hang upon these signs, but to be ready for death. Why then
clingest thou to the present life? why lookest thou not on the future?
and for the sake of this indeed canst bear even to commit idolatry, but
for the other not so much as to restrain sadness? For this cause it is
that there are none such now; because that (future) life hath seemed to
us honorless, seeing that for its sake we do nothing, whilst for this
there is nothing we refuse to undergo. And why too that other farce,
ashes, and soot, and salt? and the old woman again brought in? A farce
truly, and a shame! And then, “an eye,” say they,
“hath caught the child.”

Where will these satanical
doings end? How will not the Greeks laugh? how will they not gibe when
we say unto them, “Great is the virtue of the Cross”; how
will they be won, when they see us having recourse to those things,
which themselves laugh to scorn? Was it for this that God gave
physicians and medicines? What then? Suppose they do not cure him, but
the child depart? Whither will he depart? tell me, miserable and
wretched one! Will he depart to the demons? Will he depart to some
tyrant? Will he not depart to heaven? Will he not depart to his own
Lord? Why then grievest thou? why weepest thou? why mournest thou? why
lovest thou thine infant more than thy Lord? Is it not through Him that
thou hast this also? Why art thou ungrateful? Dost thou love the gift
more than the Giver? “But I am weak,” she replies,
“and cannot bear the fear of God.” Well, if in bodily evils
the greater covers the less, much rather in the soul, fear destroyed
fear, and sorrow, sorrow. Was the child beautiful? But be it what it
may, not more beauteous is he than Isaac: and he too was an only one.
Was it born in thine old age? So too was he. But is it fair? Well:
however fair it may be, it is not lovelier than Moses (Acts vii.
20.),
who drew even barbarian eyes unto a tender love of him, and this too at
a time of life when beauty is not yet disclosed; and yet this beloved
thing did the parents cast into the river. Thou indeed both seest it
laid out, and deliverest it to the burying, and goest to its monument;
but they did not so much as know whether it would be food for fishes,
or for dogs, or for other beasts that prey in the sea; and this they
did, knowing as yet nothing of the Kingdom, nor of the
Resurrection.

But suppose it is not an only
child; but that after thou hast lost many, this also hath departed. But
not so sudden is thy calamity as was Job’s, and (his was) of
sadder aspect?856856 [This abrupt sentence was expanded as usual, in what came to be
the common printed text.—J.A.B.] It is not when a roof has fallen
in, it is not as they are feasting the while, it is not following on
the tidings of other calamities.

But was it beloved by thee? But
not more so than Joseph, the devoured of wild beasts; but still the
father bore the calamity, and that which followed it, and the next to
that. He wept; but acted not with impiety; he mourned, but he uttered
not discontent, but stayed at those words, saying, “Joseph is
not, Simeon is not, and will ye take Benjamin away? all these things
are against me.”857857 Or
(Gr.), “are come upon me.” (Gen. xlii.
36.)
Seest thou how the constraint of famine prevailed with him to be
regardless of his children? and doth not the fear of God prevail with
thee as much as famine?

Weep: I do not forbid thee: but
aught blasphemous neither say nor do. Be thy child what he may, he is
not like Abel; and yet nought of this kind did Adam say; although that
calamity was a sore one, that his brother should have killed him. But I
am reminded of others also that have killed their brothers; when, for
instance, Absalom killed Amnon the eldest born (2 Sam. 13.), and King David
loved his child,858858 He passes on to the child of Bathsheba. and sat indeed
in sackcloth and ashes, but he neither brought soothsayers, nor
enchanters, (although there were such then, as Saul shows,) but he made
supplication to God. So do thou likewise: as that just man did, so do
thou also; the same words say thou, when thy child is dead, “I
shall go to him, but he will not come to me.” (2 Sam. xii.
23.)
This is true wisdom, this is affection. However much thou mayst love
thy child, thou wilt not love so much as he did then. For even though
his child were born of adultery, yet that blessed man’s love of
the mother was at its height,859859 ἤκμαζεν. 2 Sam. xii. 24
gives the impression that David laid the crime to his
own charge, and regarded her as wronged. and ye know that
the offspring shares the love of the parents. And so great was his love
toward it, that he even wished it to live, though it would be his own
accuser, but still he gave thanks to God. What, thinkest thou, did
Rebecca suffer, when his brother threatened Jacob, and she grieved not
her husband, but bade him send her son away? (Gen. xxvii. 46; xxviii.
1.)
When thou hast suffered any calamity, think on what is worse than it;
and thou wilt have a sufficient consolation; and consider with thyself,
what if he had died in battle? what if in fire? And whatsoever our
sufferings may be, let us think upon things yet more fearful, and we
shall have comfort sufficient, and let us ever look around us on those
who have undergone more terrible things, and if we ourselves have ever
suffered heavier calamities. So doth Paul also exhort us; as when he
saith, “Ye have not 300yet resisted unto blood,
striving against sin” (Heb. xii. 4.): and again,
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can
bear.” (1 Cor. x. 13.) Be then our
sufferings what they may, let us look round on what is worse; (for we
shall find such,) and thus shall we be thankful. And above all, let us
give thanks for all things continually; for so, both these things will
be eased, and we shall live to the glory of God, and obtain the
promised good things, whereunto may all we attain, through the grace
and love toward man, &c.

832 [This very natural inadvertence in free speaking is duly changed,
by the group of mss. which make so many
changes, into “how they put collars on them.” These wooden
collars were a disgrace, like the stocks.—J.A.B.]

833 Or perhaps, “I could wish…that I might hear
from you what is right.” Gr. παρ᾽ ὑμῶν.

836 [The word is ἄνωθεν, as
in John iii. 3, 7, and here necessarily
means anew or afresh,—a sense so rare as to justify calling
attention to it.—J.A.B.]

837 [This is a passing allusion to the Manichæans, who held that
matter is necessarily the seat of evil, and might try to interpret the
apostle as here accusing the earth of being evil. The passage has been
expanded in the often above mentioned group of documents, and so in the
editions before Field, so as to be fuller and more perspicuous, thus:
“But lo! say the heretics, Paul accuseth the creation; for he
said before, ‘Set your mind on the things that are above, not on
the things that are upon the earth;’ again he saith,
‘Mortify your members which are upon the earth.’ But the
words ‘ upon earth’ are here expressive of sin, not an
accusing of creation. For it is thus he calls sins themselves, things
upon earth, either from their being wrought by earthly thoughts and
upon earth, or from their showing sinners to be
earthly.”—J.A.B.]

839 οὐ πρὸς
γῆρας
ἐτελεύτησεν, Lat. “Nec senex mortuus est” (died not old).
But the other sense seems more suitable. In either sense it is opposed
to the view ascribed to Byzantine artists. See Rio’s Poésie
Chrétienne.